Speed regulating mechanism



April 1, 1941, c, E ETAL 2,236,669

SPEED REG LATING MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1957 INVEINTOR CARL. BREER ANDBY oacnR M. Raw.

,0 ATTO R N EY Patented Apr. 1, 1941 SPEED REGULATING MECHANISM CarlBreer, Grosse Pointe Park, and Oscar M.

Raes, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Chrysler Cor.- poration, HighlandPark, Mich a. corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1937, SerialNo. 142,144

12 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engine driven conveyancesand it has particular relation to means for regulating the maximum speedthereof.

One object of this invention resides in providing an automatic speedregulating device for use on a conveyance or vehicle which will preventany increase in speed beyond a predetermined limit and in which, bymeans of the normal controls, the driver may, under emergencyconditions, resume complete control of the speed of the vehicle at will.

Another object of this invention consists in providing means whereby thetop limit of speed of the conveyances may be regulated from the driver'sseat and may be locked in any predetermined setting.

A further object of this invention comprises providing a speedregulatory device which may be adjusted from the drivers seat, which maybe locked in any adjusted position, and in which control of the speed ofthe vehicles may be restored to the operator by a predeterminedoperation of the accelerator lever thereof.

A still further object of this invention consists in providing a speedcontrolling and regulatory mechanism in which a conveyance may beoperated up to and includin a predetermined speed by operation of theaccelerator against a normal accelerator lever restoring pressure andwhich may be operated at higher speed by operating the acceleratoragainst a noticeablyhigher accelerator restoring pressure.

For a better understanding of the invention,

reference may now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a motor vehicleshowing an internal combustion engine, an accelerator lever, and aninstrument panel, all provided with mechanism constructed in accordancewith and embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the instrument panel illustrating aportion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4,the section being taken along the line VV thereof.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 4 with the endplate or cover removed therefrom, thus providing a view which is quitesimilar to Fig. 3 but more complete and in less detail than Fig. 3.

In the drawing is shown an internal combustion engine l0 provided with acarburetor II, and a manually operable throttle valve l2 actuated by athrottle operating lever l3 which, in turn, is operated by a V-typelever l4 through a link [5. The lever I4 is in turn actuated by a linkor lever I6 which is adapted to be engaged or to constitute the usualaccelerator pedal. The

carburetor II is connected to an intake manifold I! through a speedregulating mechanism IS. The speed regulating mechanism consists of amember which is adapted to be clamped between the carburetor II andintake manifold ll, with intermediate sealing gaskets, as bestillustrated in Fig. 5.

The speed regulating member I8 is provided with a throat, l9 withinwhich is disposed a stationary vane 20 andva two-part movable vane 2|.The vane 2| is so disposed and arranged at such angle that an increasein the velocity of the mixture of fuel and air passing through thethroat l9 and passing over the vane 21 causes it to tend to move towarda partially closed position, and, unless restrained, would move to thatpartially closed position and permit only an extremely low fuel velocityand a resultant low speed of the automobile. mounted upon a pivot rod22, the outer end of which extends through its bearing and into ahousing 23. On theouter end of the pivot rod 22 is mounted a weightmember 24 which serves the purpose of preventing rapid fluctuations inthe vane 2| for minor variations in the fuel flow thereover, the weight24 and the vane 2| being both "rigidly secured to the pivot rod 22 sothat movement of one member is imparted thereby to the other.

As best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the weight. member 24 is providedwith a pin 25, to which is. pivotally secured a link 26 and a tensionspringv 21, which serves to oppose the force exerted on the vane 2| bythe fuel flow thereover which tends to move it toward its closedposition. It

will be apparent that, as the tension on the spring 21 is varied, thevelocity of the moving fuel necessary to actuate the vane 21 likewisevaries therewith, so that, as the tension on the spring 2! is increased,a greater velocity flow The vane 2| is fixedly of fuel past the vane 2|is required before it will move toward its partially closed position. Ingeneral, this type of velocity flow regulator is old and the portionthus far described constitutes no part of the present invention.

The opposite end of the spring 21 is attached to a spring securingmember 35, as best shown in Fig. 4, which is slidably mounted within asupporting member 3|, which, in turn, is slidably mounted within thehousing 23. The supporting member 3| is provided with an adjusting screw32 whereby the position of the spring securing member may be Varied withrespect to the supporting member 3 I, a small compression spring 33being disposed therebetween so as to keep the spring securing member 3i!as far from the end of the supporting member 3| as is permitted by theadjusting screw 32. The housing is provided with an open end 34 throughwhich a screwdriver or other tool may be inserted in order to rotate thescrew 32.

The supporting member 3| is provided on one side with a relatively shortleg 35 and on the other side with a relatively longer leg 36. The longerleg 33 is adapted to abut against a cam member 31 mounted upon arotatable shaft 38, which shaft projects outwardly through a. bushing inthe housing 23 and is connected at its outer end to a flexible shaft 4|which extends within a casing 42 to a housing 43 mounted on theinstrument board or panel 44 of the automobile. The flexible shaft 4| isprovided, at its instrument board end, with a knob or dial 45 by meansof which the shaft 4| and therefore the cam 31 may be rotated. Theinstrument board is provided with a calibrated dial 46, which may benumbered in either revolutions per minute of the engine or in miles perhour of the automobile, the latter being generally preferable, and isshown in Fig. 2. t will be apparent that, by rotating the knob 45, thecam 31 may be rotated so as to move the supporting member 3|, and withit the spring securing member 39, and thus adjust the tension on thetension spring 21, which in turn controls the speed at which theautomatically operated vane 2|- will move toward its closed position adistance sufficient to prevent any further increase in the speed of thecar. The housing 43 mounted on the instrument panel 44 is likewiseprovided with a locking mechanism 41 so that the adjusting mechanism maybe locked in any desired predetermined speed regulating position, theadvantage being that the owner of the car may thus predetermine thespeed at which the car may be driven.

The shorter leg 35 of the supporting member 3| is adapted to engage anarm or stop member 50, which constitutes a portion of a supportingmember 5 I which is slidably mounted within the housing 23 and issecured, by means of two bolts or other securing members 52, totwoexternally disposed slidably mounted members 53 and 54 which haveupstanding portions and 56, respectively. The bolts 52 extend throughopenings in the wall housing 23 so as to permit the members 53 and 54,disposed outside of the housing, to move the member 5| with its stop 5!)inside of the housing. A compression spring 51 is disposed within thehousing 23 and in engagement with the member 5|, tending to move themember 5| away from the supporting member 3|. The spring 51 ismaterially stronger than is the tension spring 21, so that movement ofthe member 5| toward the end of the housing against the action of thespring 51 will require a considerably greater force than that necessaryto move against only the spring 21.

The upstanding portion 55 of the member 54 is normally held inengagement with an abutment 60 by the spring 51, thus holding the member5|, and therefore the stop member 50, in a predetermined position, thuslimiting the range of movement of the supporting member 3| toward theweighted member 24. The second upstanding member 55, which is rigidlysecured to the member 56, is normally disposed in spaced relationshipwith the abutment 6B but is adapted to be engaged by a lug or shoulder6|, mounted on the throttle actuating lever l3, so that when the leverI3 is moved to its extreme position, it engages the upstanding member 55and moves it toward the abutment 60. This moves the stop member 58toward the end of the housing 23 against the action of the compressionspring 51 and likewise moves the supporting member 3| to increase thetension on the tension spring 21.

As best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, a link 65 is pivotally connectedto the cam member 31 by means of a pin 66, the opposite end of the link65 being provided with a slotted portion 61 which is adapted toencompass a pin 68 mounted on the weight member 24. The purpose of thepin and slot connection between the link 65 and the weight member 24 isto move the weight member 24, and with it, the automatically operatedvane 2|, a very slight amount in the direction of the closed position ofthe vane 2| when the cam 31 is disposed in its lowest speed adjustment,and at the same time permit independent movement of the cam and weightmembers under all other conditions.

Obviously, in the lowest speed adjustment, the velocity of the gasolineover the vane 2| is comparatively small and there is always sometendency for the vane to remain in its fully open position owing to therelatively light forces exerted thereon unless it is moved from itswideopen position when the cam is in its lowest speed position ofadjustment.

Referring now to the structure as a whole, it will be apparent that withthe adjustment on the instrument panel, when in its lowest speed, inthis instance, 20 M. P. H., but which may be designed for lower speeds,the cam permits the supporting member 3| to be drawn to the extreme endof its range toward the weight member by the tension spring 21. At thesame time, the stop 5| engaging the opposite leg 35 of the supportingmember is likewise in its position closest to the weight member 24.Under this condition, the link 65, by means of the pin and slotconstruction 61, 68, holds the weight 24, and with it, the vane member2|, in a position slightly removed from its inactive position. The fuelflow over the vane 2| will increase as the manually operated throttle I2is opened, until such time as the fiow of the fuel exerts a force on thevane 2| sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring 21, at whichtime the vane member 2| will start to move toward its partially closedposition and will so move until the amount of fuel permitted to passthereby with the car operating at 20 M. P. H. is suflicient to create aforce to balance the spring 21 and hold the vane 2| in a partiallyclosed position regardless of how far open thethrottle I2 is maintained.

If the adjustment knob 45 is now rotated to a higher speed position, forexample, 40 M. P. H., it will rotate the cam 31 so as to move thesupporting member 3| to a position farther from 51. Aninternal'combustion engine speed gov-f the weighted member 34, thusincreasing .the tension on the'spring 21. The increased tension on thespring21 serves to return the vane 2| to-its original inactive positionbecause the velocity of the fuel flow at 20 M- P. H. is no longersufiicient to move the vane 2| against themcreased tension of the spring21. As a result, if the throttle I2 is sufficiently opened, an increasedflow of fuel will flow through the throat l9 until the velocity issuflicientlygreat to move thevane 2| against the action of the spring21, at which point only a suflicient amount of fuel will be permitted topass the vane 2| to maintain the car at aspeed of 40 M. P. H. In likemanner, the adjusting knob 45 may be moved to any other speed positionwith a corresponding result. By means of the lock 41, the knob 45 may belocked in any desired position.

Assuming now that the adjusting mechanism 45 has been set at any desiredfigure, for example, 40 M. P. H., and due to some emergency condition itbecomes imperative that the speed of the car be increased-the footthrottle is moved to its extreme position. This causes the shoulder 6|to engage the upstanding member 55 and moves the stop member 50 awayfrom the weight member 24 against the action of the relatively strongspring 51, thus moving the supporting member 3| in the housing 23 awayfrom the weight member 24, regardless of the position of the cam 31.This increases the tension on the spring 21 beyond any tension that canbe exerted thereon by the cam 31 and moves the automatically operatedvane 2| back to its fully open position and holds it in that positionwhile the car increases in speed to any desired degree beyond the speedfor which the adjusting mechanism has previ-, ously been set. The forceof the spring 51, however, continuously opposes holding the throttle inits extreme position and should be sufliciently greater than the tensionof the spring 21 to cause a noticeable increase in the force opposingholding'the throttle in its wide-openposition. If desired, this springmay be sufiiciently strong that an uncomfortably large amount ofpressure is required to move the stop member 50 so that the driver willhave a natural tendency to de crease the'force on the throttle as soonas the emergency is passed.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that this devicepermits of adjusting the speed to any desired figure and permits oflooking it at that position. In addition, when desired, by use of theordinary means of controlling the speed, that is, the accelerator, theautomatic adjusting device may be temporarily rendered inactive so as toprovide a higher speed than that permitted by the adjusting mechanismlocated on the instrument panel. As soon as the pressure on theaccelerator pedal is released, control of the maximum speed of thevehicle is immediately restored to the automatic speed regulator inaccordance with the adjustment thereof. In addition, the usual method ofregulating the speed of the device, which is 'mounted on the regulatingmechanism itself, is likewise provided.

Although but one form of this invention is illustrated and but oneapplication thereof is described in detail, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that it is not. so limited but that various minormodifications and changes may be effected therein without departing fromthe spirit of this invention or from the scope of the appended claims. 1

we claim:

erning device comprising a throttle valve adapted to be moved'towards apartially closed position by the flow of fluid thereby and mounted on amovable pivot pin, a lever arm rigidly mounted on said pin, a springconnected to said lever arm and adapted to yieldingly resist movement ofsaid throttle valve towards the partially closed position, a slidablemember adapted to constitute a support for the opposite end of saidspring, a rotatable cam member disposed in engagement with slidablemember and adapted to move it slidably to vary the force exerted by saidspring onsaid lever arm, a link pivotally mounted on said cam, a lostmotion connection between said link and said lever arm, and means forrotating said'cam.

2, An internal combustion engine speed governing device comprisingathrottle valve directly responsive to and adapted .to be moved towards apartially closed position by the flow of fluid thereby and mounted on amovable pivot member, a rotatable member comprising a lever arm rigidlymounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing said rotatable member,a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing member, a springsecuring member slidably mounted in said supporting member, means foradjusting said spring securing member with respect to said supportingmember, a spring secured at one end of said spring'securing member andat the other end to said rotatable member and adapted to yieldinglyresist movement of said throttle valve towards the partiallyclosedposition, and stop means adapted to limit the movement of saidsupporting member in said housing. 3. An"internal combustion enginespeed governing device comprising a throttle valve adapted to.-be movedtowards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereby andmountedon a. movable pivot member, a rotatable member comprisinga leverarm rigidly mounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing saidrotatable member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housingmember, a spring securing member slidably mounted in said supportingmember, means for adjusting said'spring securing member with-respectto'said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to said springsecuring member and at the other end to said rotatable mem-' ber andadapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards thepartially closed position, stop means adapted to limit the move: ment ofsaid supporting means in said housing toward-s said spring, and meansfor moving said stop means.

4. In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a fuelmixture passage, speed governing means comprising a manually operatedthrottle valve'in said passage and mechanism for operating the same, asecond throttle valve in said passage adapted :to be moved towards apartially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted ona movable pivot member, a weighted member mounted on said pivot memberand movable with said second throttle valve, a housing adapted toenclose said weighted member, a supporting member slidably mounted insaid housing, a spring securing member slidably mounted in saidsupporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member withrespect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to saidspring securing member and at the other end to said weighted member--''toyieldingly oppose movement .of saidflsecondi throttle valvetowards its partially closed position, a stop member adapted to limitthe movement of the supporting member towards said spring, and means formoving said stop member comprising a member disposed in the path of themechanism for operating the manually operated throttle valve.

5. In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a fuelmixture passage, speed governing means comprising a manually operatedthrottle valve in said passage and mechanism for operating the same, asecond throttle valve in said passage adapted to be moved towards apartially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted ona movable pivot-member, a weighted member mounted on said pivot memberand movable with said second throttle valve, a housing adapted toenclose said weighted member, a supporting member slidably mounted insaid housing, a spring securing member slidably mounted in saidsupporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member withrespect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to saidspring securing member and at the other end to said weigh-ted member toyieldingly oppose movement of said second throttle valve towards itspartially closed position, a stop member adapted to limit the movementof the supporting member towards said spring, and means for moving saidstop member comprising a member disposed in the path of the mechanismfor operating the manually operated throttle valve at the end of itsnormal range of movement.

6. In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a fuelmixture passage, speed governing means comprising a manually operatedthrottle valve in said passage and mechanismfor operating the same, asecond throttle valve in said passage adapted to be moved towards apartially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted ona movable pivot memher, a weighted member mounted on said pivot memberand movable with said second throttle valve, a housing adapted toenclose said weighted member, a supporting member slidably mounted insaid housing, a spring securing member slidably mounted in saidsupporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member withrespect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to saidspring securing member and at the other end to said weighted member toyieldingly oppose movement of said second throttle valve towards itspartially closed position, a

stop member adapted to limit the movement of I the supporting membertowards said spring, a relatively strong spring adapted to opposemovement of said stop member away from said first mentioned spring, andmeans for moving said stop member away from said first mentioned springcomprising a member disposed in the path of the mechanism for operatingthe manually operated throttle valve adjacent the end of its range ofmovement.

7. In an internal combustion engine speed governing mechanism, amanually operated throttle for said engine, means for actuating saidthrottle, a speed governing device comprising a, second throttle valveadapted to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow offluid thereover and mounted on a movable pivot member, a weight membermounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing said weight member, asupporting member slidably mounted in said housing member, a springsecuring member slidably mounted on said supporting "member, a "springsecured at one end to said spring. securing member and at the other endto said weightmember and adapted to yieldingly resist movement of saidthrottle valve towards the partially closed position, a member inthreaded engagement with said supporting member and operativelyconnected to said spring securing member to adjust the spring securingmember with respect to the supporting member, a cam mounted in saidhousing and adapted to engage said supporting member, remote controlmeans for rotatively adjusting said cam, a stop member disposed withinsaid housing and adapted to limit the movement of said supporting membertowards said spring, and means disposed within the path of the firstthrottle actuating means and adapted to move said stop member.

8. In an internal combustion engine speed governing mechanism, amanually actuated throttle valve control mechanism, a speed governingdevice comprising a second throttle valve adapted to be moved towards apartially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted ona movable pivot member, a weight member mounted on said pivot member, ahousing enclosing said weight member, a supporting member slidablymounted in said housing member, a spring securing member slidablymounted on said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to saidspring securing member and at the other end to said weight member andadapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards thepartially closed position, a member in threaded engagement with saidsupporting member and operatively connected to said spring securingmember to adjust the spring securing member with respect to thesupporting member, a cam mounted in said housing and adapted to engagesaid supporting member, remote control meansfor rotating said cam andfor locking said cam in its rotated position, a stop member disposedwithin said housing and adapted to limit movement of said supportingmember towards said spring, and means adapted to move said-stop memberaway from said spring, said last mentioned means being so arranged withrespect to said manually actuated throttle valve control mechanism as tobe actuated thereby only under predetermined conditions.

9. A fuel system for an internal combustion engine including a fuelmixture passage for supplying a fuel mixture to said engine, a normalthrottle valve in said passage, manually operable control mechanism foractuating said valve, a second throttle valve in said fuel mixturepassage between said normal throttle valve and said engine and adaptedto be moved toward a partially closed position by the flow of fuel insaid passage, means adapted to yieldably resist movement of said secondmentioned valve by fuel flow, and means responsive to actuation of saidmanually operable control mechanism beyond a predetermined portion ofits range of valve opening movement for increasing the resistance ofsaid yielding means to operation of said second mentioned valve by theaction of fluid flow.

-10, A fuel system for an internal combustion engine including a fuelmixture passage for supplying a fuel mixture to said engine, a normalthrottle valve in said passage, manually operable control mechanismsforactuating said valve, a second throttle valve in said fuel mixturepassage between said normal throttle valve and said engine and adaptedto be moved toward a partially closed position by the flow of fuel insaid passage, a relatively light spring adapted to yieldably resistmovement of said second mentioned valve by fuel flow, manually operablemeans operable to establish the predetermined resistance of saidyieldable means to operation of said second throttle valve by fuel flow,means responsive to actuation of said manually operable controlmechanism beyond a predetermined portion of its range of valve openingmovement for increasing the predetermined resistance of said yieldablemeans to fluid flow operation of said second valve as established bysaid manually operable means, and a relatively heavy spring operable tooppose variation of said predetermined resistance.

11. In a throttle control mechanism for an internal combustion engine, athrottle valve for said engine, a manually operable throttle actuatingmember for said valve, an automatically operated throttle mechanismadapted to normally assume control of the maximum speed of the engineunder predetermined conditions including a valve and a resilient elementopposing closure thereof, and means responsive to actuation of saidthrottle actuating member during a portion of its normal range ofthrottle opening move- 1 ment and acting upon said resilient element forvarying its opposition to closure of said second mention-ed valve andraising the speed of the engine at which said automatic mechanismassumes control of the maximum speed of the engine.

12. In a throttle control mechanism for an internal combustion engine, athrottle valve, a manually operated throttle control for said valve, anautomatically operated throttle mechanism adapted to control the maximumspeed of said engine and adapted to become operative under

